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‘Wild Villarreal celebrations’ leave Jurgen Klopp bemused

Jurgen Klopp has offered his thoughts to the wild celebrations from Villarreal’s players and management after they beat Liverpool 1-0.

Adrian Lopez’s stoppage-time winner in the second half handed the Spanish side a potentially crucial advantage in the Europa League semi-final, with the second leg to take place at Anfield next week.

The Reds must now score at home and hope to avoid conceding an away goal against La Liga’s fourth-placed side.

Villarreal manager Marcelino and his players celebrated wildly upon both Lopez’s goal and the final whistle, and Klopp delivered a message to the Spaniards after the game.

“To be honest it is the first leg. My first thought was ‘Sorry, but it is not over, you have to come to Anfield too and we will be ready’,” Klopp said.

“Things are possible with 1-0, it is not the biggest result in the world. Villarreal know a lot more about us and they will respect us. When the team does not play better you think they want to play like this. Of course they would have been satisfied 0-0, we would have been satisfied.

“They are strong in counterattacks and we have to score at home. I am expecting a completely different game. I am looking forward to Anfield.”

Opposing boss Marcelino added: “We managed a good result but we don’t know if it will be short or not until the end of the tie.

“It was not an unfair result and we didn’t beat Liverpool by being lucky.”